The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-11-05
A SENTENCE OF DEATH.
GEO. BOILER TO SUFFER THE DEATH
PENALTY FOR MURDER.
Mo" Hau Avenged by the Stern Hand
Of JUSTICE 1.-The Jury Bring In YER
dict Of Murder.-.A Review OF the
Testimony In DetaiI.--Much Sur
prise Evinced.- lockers Life.

prise Evinced.- -BoIzer's Life.
A little over two months ago. the people
Of La Sale and adjoining counties were
Mortified by the report Of a brutal murder
in the corporate limits Of the city Of Streator.
George Boiler, a gatherer in the Streator
bottle house, had on the 18th day Of July
last, while in the heat of passion, shot and
killed his cousin, Nicholas Hau, in cold blood.
The provocation alleged is and was, the
fact that Hau had refused to loan Bolzer's
wife ffty cents. When Boiler. who had been
out in the country, heard Of this, he swore to
kill Hau before night. The men met at Boil.
zer's house, and Hau is now lying on his
grave. Boiler was arrested, given . prelim-
inery hearing, and held to the grand jury in
charge Of murder. He was brought to this
city and placed in the county Jail, where
his conscience, perhaps, dashed him to such
an extent that he attempted to commit sui.
eide by hanging himself to his coat peg with
his suspenders.
He was indicted, at the October session of
the grand jury, for murder in the first de.
gree, and James H. Eckles and Rector G.
Hit, two of the brightest young attorneys
Of La Sale county, were appointed to defend.
The case opened on onday morning, at
nine o'clock, with large number of attor.
neys and witnesses present, in addition to a
crowd of those whose curiosity and love for
sensation led them to take seats in the au-
ditorium.
After examining long list of unwilling
candidates for the jury box, and consuming
the entire day in examining and re.examin-
ing jurymen, jury, composed of A. A. Tics,
Lafayette Higgins, John McInturf, c. H.
Stewart, Lorenzo Hayes, Byron Mosher,
Chss. A. Cracraft, Rudolph Starnever, Frank
Mudgh, VIM. Raley, L. Haines and A. L.
Trumbo, was secured, and the court adjourn.
ed until Tuesday morning.
Then, at nine o'clock, the only Jockey
allowed the jury to file into their seats, and
the opening statements were presented. Boil.
ger sat behind::his counsel, accompanied by
his wife and child, while the widow Hau and
her baby occupied seat at the rear Of the
rail. Boiler appeared unconcerned, and
showed but little sign Of inconvenience from
his long imprisonment of two months. He
had prominent forehead. eyes deep set and
bright, and a small thick nose. His com.
plexion is bleached out by his long couine.
ment, and his dark hair is cut short, showing
the scar on his head where he was hit with
brick. He was neatly dressed in suit Of
blue stuff, and wore black tie. His fee
we're covered with q pair of leather slippers
about four sizes too large, which looked al
though they had originally belonged to some
Streator policeman. Mrs. Boiler shows
the effects Of anxiety and care plainly, while
Mrs. Hau wears look of sadness.
Mr.. Moloney made very eloquent open
ing. He revived the proposed testimony
carefully and effectively, and his course Of
reasoning left naught to Boiler but the glib
bet Mr.. Eckles, in opening for the defense,
delineated Mr.. Hits and his own position
in the case simply and with none Of the o.
tentation so fatal to the effect Of oratory
and his presentment of the law of self de-
Tense the ground taken, was mastery. The
first witness for the state was,
HENRY osTER.
He lives in Streator. Knew beth Boiler ant
Hau and saw Boiler in Mike Schwabs sal
loon on the day Of the shooting. 1t wal
about 3 O clock IN the afternoon. Saw Hat
about q half hour before. Boiler and had
couple of drinks together. He said 81 an
going to shoot Mic Hau to. might. He sale
also, mic would not loan my wife 30 cents
and he already owes me $500. He left tn
saloon before did.
| HUGH HALL.
knew both Hau and Boiler. The shoot
ing on July Is occurred about three block
from my house. The shots were fired a
about five clock on that date. Boiler wa
in his own house. His wife and German
were there with him. The door was locked
| was let in the back door. John Koeni
found the revolver in the stove. The weap
on was loaded. Five chambers were loaded
and one empty. found Hau in a bulldin
back of Devaney's. Cross eramined-When
saw Boiler his head was bleeding. His shir
had blood on it. He changed the shirt. II
wasn't very wild.
MICHAEL DEvANEY.
Coal miner. Knew both Boiler and Har
live next doo- to Boiler. Saw Boiler o
that day at about five o'clock. Saw Ha
aboct fifteen minutes beforei that. He wa
scolding his wife. saw a revolver in Bo
zer's hand. He pointed it at Mrs. Ha.
Three or four men forced him into his ow
residence.
REGINA sCHwAB.
Knew both Hau and Boiler before tn
shooting. They came to my grocery stol
often. Boiler was in the store on the da
of the shooting. Said: al will kill Mic an
before night" Told him he had better no
| FRANK A. sCHALLAMAN.
Saw Boiler and Mrs. Hau quarrelin
Was at Bolzer's house afterward. Left Il
house before the shooting. Came back IN